Daniel 7
Common English Bible
Daniel’s vision: four beasts
7 In the first year of Babylon’s King Belshazzar, Daniel had a dream—a vision in his head as he lay on his bed. He wrote the dream down. Here is the beginning of the account:
2 I am Daniel. In the vision I had during the night I saw the four winds of heaven churning the great sea. 3 Four giant beasts emerged from the sea, each different from the others. 4 The first was like a lion with eagle’s wings. I observed it until its wings were pulled off, and it was lifted up from the ground. It was then set on two feet, like a human being, and it received a human mind. 5 Then I saw another beast, a second one, like a bear. It was raised on one side. It had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told: “Get up! Devour much flesh!” 6 I kept watching, and suddenly there was another beast, this one like a leopard. On its back it had four wings like bird wings. This beast had four heads. Authority was given to it.
7 After this, as I continued to watch this night vision, I saw a fourth beast, terrifying and hideous, with extraordinary power and with massive iron teeth. As it ate and crushed, its feet smashed whatever was left over. It was different from all the other beasts before it, and it had ten horns. 8 I was staring at the horns when, suddenly, another small horn came up between them. Three of the earlier horns were ripped out to make room for it. On this new horn were eyes like human eyes and a mouth that bragged and bragged.
Throne of fire and the human figure
9 As I was watching,
thrones were raised up.
The ancient one took his seat.
His clothes were white like snow;
his hair was like a lamb’s wool.
His throne was made of flame;
its wheels were blazing fire.
10 A river of fire flowed out from his presence;
thousands upon thousands served him;
ten thousand times ten thousand stood ready to serve him!
The court sat in session; the scrolls were opened.
11 I kept watching. I watched from the moment the horn started bragging until the beast was killed and its body was destroyed, handed over to be burned with fire. 12 Then the authority of the remaining beasts was brought to an end, but they were given an extension among the living for a set time and season.
13 As I continued to watch this night vision of mine, I suddenly saw
one like a human being[a]
coming with the heavenly clouds.
He came to the ancient one
and was presented before him.
14 Rule, glory, and kingship were given to him;
all peoples, nations, and languages will serve him.
His rule is an everlasting one—
it will never pass away!—
his kingship is indestructible.
Beasts interpreted
15 Now this caused me, Daniel, to worry.[b] My visions disturbed me greatly. 16 So I went to one of the servants who was standing ready nearby. I asked him for the truth about all this.
He spoke to me and explained to me the meaning of these things. 17 “These four giant beasts are four kings that will rise up from the earth, 18 but the holy ones of the Most High will receive the kingship. They will hold the kingship securely forever and always.”
19 Next I wanted greater clarity about the fourth beast, the one that was different from all the others and utterly terrifying with its iron teeth and bronze claws. As it ate and crushed, its feet smashed whatever was left over. 20 I wanted greater clarity about the ten horns on its head, and the other horn that came up, along with the three that fell out to make room for it—but especially about the horn that had eyes and a mouth that bragged, and that seemed more important than the others. 21 As I watched, this same horn waged war against the holy ones and defeated them, 22 until the Ancient One came. Then judgment was given in favor of the holy ones of the Most High. The set time arrived, and the holy ones held the kingship securely.
23 This is what he said:
“The fourth beast means
that there will be a fourth kingship on the earth.
It will be different from all the other kingships.
It will devour the entire earth, trample it, crush it.
24 The ten horns mean
that from this kingship will rise ten kings,
and after them will rise yet another.
He will be different from the previous ones.
He will defeat three kings.
25 He will say things against the Most High
and will exhaust the holy ones of the Most High.
He will try to change times set by law.
And for a period of time,
periods of time,
and half a period of time,
they will be delivered into his power.
26 Then the court will sit in session.
His rule will be taken away—
ruined and wiped out for all time.
27 The kingship, authority, and power
of all kingdoms under heaven
will be given to the people,
the holy ones of the Most High.
Their kingship is an everlasting one; every authority will serve them and obey.”
28 The account ends here.
Now as for how I, Daniel, felt about this: My thoughts disturbed me greatly. My mood darkened considerably, and I kept thinking about this matter.
Footnotes
- Daniel 7:13 Aram kebar enash (like a son of man) is an idiom that means like a human being; cf also 8:17; 10:16, 18 for Heb approximations.
- Daniel 7:15 Or my spirit was distressed in its sheath; Aram uncertain
Daniel 7
Young's Literal Translation
7 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel hath seen a dream, and the visions of his head on his bed, then the dream he hath written, the chief of the things he hath said.
2 Answered hath Daniel and said, `I was seeing in my vision by night, and lo, the four winds of the heavens are coming forth to the great sea;
3 and four great beasts are coming up from the sea, diverse one from another.
4 The first [is] like a lion, and it hath an eagle's wings. I was seeing till that its wings have been plucked, and it hath been lifted up from the earth, and on feet as a man it hath been caused to stand, and a heart of man is given to it.
5 And lo, another beast, a second, like to a bear, and to the same authority it hath been raised, and three ribs [are] in its mouth, between its teeth, and thus they are saying to it, Rise, consume much flesh.
6 `After this I was seeing, and lo, another like a leopard, and it hath four wings of a fowl on its back, and four heads hath the beast, and dominion is given to it.
7 `After this I was seeing in the visions of the night, and lo, a fourth beast, terrible and fearful, and exceedingly strong; and it hath iron teeth very great, it hath consumed, yea, it doth break small, and the remnant with its feet it hath trampled; and it [is] diverse from all the beasts that [are] before it; and it hath ten horns.
8 `I was considering about the horns, and lo, another horn, a little one, hath come up between them, and three of the first horns have been eradicated from before it, and lo, eyes as the eyes of man [are] in this horn, and a mouth speaking great things.
9 `I was seeing till that thrones have been thrown down, and the Ancient of Days is seated, His garment as snow [is] white, and the hair of his head [is] as pure wool, His throne flames of fire, its wheels burning fire.
10 A flood of fire is proceeding and coming forth from before Him, a thousand thousands do serve Him, and a myriad of myriads before Him do rise up, the Judge is seated, and the books have been opened.
11 `I was seeing, then, because of the voice of the great words that the horn is speaking, I was seeing till that the beast is slain, and his body hath been destroyed, and given to the burning fire;
12 and the rest of the beasts have caused their dominion to pass away, and a prolongation in life is given to them, till a season and a time.
13 `I was seeing in the visions of the night, and lo, with the clouds of the heavens as a son of man was [one] coming, and unto the Ancient of Days he hath come, and before Him they have brought him near.
14 And to him is given dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, and all peoples, nations, and languages do serve him, his dominion [is] a dominion age-during, that passeth not away, and his kingdom that which is not destroyed.
15 `Pierced hath been my spirit -- I, Daniel -- in the midst of the sheath, and the visions of my head trouble me;
16 I have drawn near unto one of those standing, and the certainty I seek from him of all this; and he hath said to me, yea, the interpretation of the things he hath caused me to know:
17 `These great beasts, that [are] four, [are] four kings, they rise up from the earth;
18 and receive the kingdom do the saints of the Most High, and they strengthen the kingdom unto the age, even unto the age of the ages.
19 `Then I wished for certainty concerning the fourth beast, that was diverse from them all, fearful exceedingly; its teeth of iron, and its nails of brass, it hath devoured, it doth break small, and the remnant with its feet it hath trampled;
20 and concerning the ten horns that [are] in its heads, and of the other that came up, and before which three have fallen, even of that horn that hath eyes, and a mouth speaking great things, and whose appearance [is] great above its companions.
21 `I was seeing, and this horn is making war with the saints, and hath prevailed over them,
22 till that the Ancient of Days hath come, and judgment is given to the saints of the Most High, and the time hath come, and the saints have strengthened the kingdom.
23 `Thus he said: The fourth beast is the fourth kingdom in the earth, that is diverse from all kingdoms, and it consumeth all the earth, and treadeth it down, and breaketh it small.
24 And the ten horns out of the kingdom [are] ten kings, they rise, and another doth rise after them, and it is diverse from the former, and three kings it humbleth;
25 and words as an adversary of the Most High it doth speak, and the saints of the Most High it doth wear out, and it hopeth to change seasons and law; and they are given into its hand, till a time, and times, and a division of a time.
26 `And the Judge is seated, and its dominion they cause to pass away, to cut off, and to destroy -- unto the end;
27 and the kingdom, and the dominion, even the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heavens, is given to the people -- the saints of the Most High, His kingdom [is] a kingdom age-during, and all dominions do serve and obey Him.
28 `Hitherto [is] the end of the matter. I, Daniel, greatly do my thoughts trouble me, and my countenance is changed on me, and the matter in my heart I have kept.
Daniel 7
Names of God Bible
Daniel’s Vision about Four Animals
7 In Belshazzar’s first year as king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream. He saw a vision while he was asleep. He wrote down the main parts of the dream.
2 In my visions at night I, Daniel, saw the four winds of heaven stirring up the Mediterranean Sea. 3 Four large animals, each one different from the others, came out of the sea.
4 The first animal was like a lion, but it had wings like an eagle. I watched until its wings were plucked off and it was lifted off the ground. It was made to stand on two feet like a human and was given a human mind.
5 I saw a second animal. It looked like a bear. It was raised on one side and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told, “Get up, and eat as much meat as you want.”
6 After this, I saw another animal. It looked like a leopard. On its back it had four wings, like the wings of a bird. The animal also had four heads. It was given power to rule.
7 After this, I saw a fourth animal in my vision during the night. It was terrifying, dreadful, extraordinarily strong, and had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed its victims and trampled whatever was left. It acted differently from all the other animals that I had seen before. It had ten horns. 8 While I was thinking about the horns, another horn, a little horn, came up among them. It uprooted three of the other horns. This horn had eyes like human eyes and a mouth that spoke impressive things.
9 I watched until thrones were set up
and the Ancient One, who has lived for endless years, sat down.
His clothes were as white as snow
and the hair on his head was like pure wool.
His throne was fiery flames,
and its wheels were burning fire.
10 A river of fire flowed.
It came from him.
Thousands and thousands served him.
Ten thousand times ten thousand were stationed in front of him.
The court convened,
and the books were opened.
11 I continued to watch because of the impressive words that the horn was speaking. I watched until the animal was killed. Its body was destroyed and put into a raging fire. 12 The power of the rest of the animals was taken away, but they were allowed to live for a period of time.
13 In my visions during the night, I saw among the clouds in heaven someone like the Bar-Enash.[a] He came to the Ancient One, who has lived for endless years, and was presented to him. 14 He was given power, honor, and a kingdom. People from every province, nation, and language were to serve him. His power is an eternal power that will not be taken away. His kingdom will never be destroyed.
15 I, Daniel, was deeply troubled, and my visions frightened me. 16 I went to someone who was standing there and asked him to tell me the truth about all this. So he told me what all this meant. 17 He said, “These four large animals are four kingdoms that will rise to power on the earth. 18 But the holy people of the Elyonin will take possession of the kingdom and keep it forever and ever.”
19 Then I wanted to know the truth about the fourth animal, which was so different from all the others. It was very terrifying and had iron teeth and bronze claws. It devoured and crushed its victims, and trampled whatever was left. 20 I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and about the other horn that had come up and made three of the horns fall out. That horn had eyes and a mouth that spoke impressive things. It appeared to be bigger than the others. 21 I saw that horn making war against the holy people and defeating them. 22 It did this until the Ancient One, who has lived for endless years, came and judged in favor of the holy people of the Elyonin. The time came when the holy people took possession of the kingdom.
23 He said, “The fourth animal will be the fourth of these kingdoms on earth. It will be different from all other kingdoms. It will devour, trample, and crush the whole world. 24 The ten horns are ten kings that will rise to power from that kingdom. Another king will rise to power after them. He will be different from the kings who came before him, and he will humble three kings. 25 He will speak against the Elyonin, oppress the holy people of the Illah-ah, and plan to change the appointed times and laws. The holy people will be handed over to him for a time, times, and half of a time. 26 But judgment will be handed down, his power will be taken away, and he will be completely and permanently destroyed. 27 The kingdom, along with the power and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven, will be given to the holy people of the Elyonin. Their kingdom is eternal. All other powers will serve and obey them.”
28 Here is the end of the matter. I, Daniel, was terrified by my thoughts, and I turned pale. I kept this to myself.
Footnotes
- Daniel 7:13 Or “like a human.”
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.